ONE-SHOT: Confidence and Pain
by ladykatsuyu
Summary: This is Neji's and Hinata's last training session before the war. Takes place just before Neji talks with Hiashi about :x (read my NaruHina one-shot to find out) and just before the Hyuuga Clan meeting before the war. One-sided NejiHina. Neji x Hinata


"Nii-san, I just can't reach it yet," said Hinata exhaling in exhaustion. Sweat and dirt was dripping down her face as she turned to face her cousin. "Every time I move into the final stage of 64 palms, I can't seem to find my footing."

"It's not an issue of your footing. You have the correct stance, and all you need to do it make the move into the next step," he said, uncrossing his arms and walking toward her. He put a hand on her shoulder and looking down at her. "It's an issue of your confidence. You must believe that you can make that next step, and do it, Hinata."

She frowned as she looked up at him, but nodded her understanding. "I know you are right, Nii-san. I am going to keep trying."

"Don't push yourself too much and get too tired. We have to meet with your father and the rest of the clan soon," he said, removing his hand and walking away.

"Yes, Nii-san, I won't. But…I want to try it just a few more times," she said, turning away from him to move into the starting stance again.

He glanced at her, seeing her start the process all over again, and he smiled before turning away to go sit on the porch. He watched her quietly from a distance, accessing every move she made. His eyes narrowed as she got close to the final step, but hesitated yet again. He sighed, closing his eyes and looking away toward the rising sun.

"Nii-san," said Hinata, rather abruptly. He turned to look at her.

"Teach me…teach me that move you mentioned the other day," she said, looking at him uncomfortably.

"With the air-palms," he asked, getting up from his spot to walk toward her. She nodded, nervously moving into a familiar start position.

"Not that," he said, coming closer to her. "Instead, you will start here." He made the stance in example.

She changed her posture, but he noticed that one of her hands and legs were not placed quite correctly.

"Close, but more like—" he moved closer to her, and pressed his chest up against her to reach around her and move the hand to the correct place, which inadvertently pulled her even closer to himself. "And, this —" he leaned down, head parallel to her hips as he grabbed at her leg to place it in the correct position.

She blushed a little at his closeness, and couldn't help but tense as he touched certain areas of her body, but it faded quickly. However, he noticed this, and moved away back to his own position hastily.

He showed her the moves as she watched him with her byakugan activated, and she found herself memorizing each step clearly. When he motioned for her to try, he watched as she made each step almost perfectly, and found himself distracted by the way her body bent and contorted, or the way her hair swung as she moved. When she finished, she turned to him with a smile and asked him how she did.

"You did well," he said, conveying nothing of his inner thoughts. "There is very little to correct."

He moved closer to her again, and she noticed something that made her brows furrow slightly, only for a moment. _Why is he…so hot…_ she thought, noticing the temperature of his body with her byakugan.

He didn't notice her assessment of his body as he moved to show her the moves she needed to improve upon, and she studied each move closely to be sure she improved as they moved forward.

But suddenly, he stopped, tensing up slightly and turning his back to her.

"Nii-san," she said, looking at him worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm…its nothing," he said, turning away from her and pinching his eyes closed tightly. "Go back to your training. Perhaps I am just dehydrated or something — I'll go get something to drink."

"O-okay," she said, looking after him concerned as he walked away rather quickly, walking up the steps toward the sitting area where they had canisters of tea and water and cups at the ready.

After he was out of view, she moved into position again and tried the move once. But she couldn't shake her concern for Neji, so she stopped and turned to walk up the stairs to the sitting room to check on him.

"Nii-san, are you alright," she asked again, looking at him with worried eyes. He was sitting on one of the couches with his hands over his eyes. He seemed to be massaging them. But he looked up at her quickly and with wide eyes. She could see redness in the corners of his eyes and could tell that he was in pain, so she walked over to him.

"Hinata, I'm fine. I just needed something to drink. I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about—" But she moved to sit on the ground in front of him, at his knees, and placed a hand on his lips.

"Let me see, Neji," she said, a bit authoritative. He pulled away from her, but she grabbed his shoulder and lifted her body to look at him straight in the eye, pulling him closer to herself.

He tensed, realizing just how close she was to his face as she grabbed his chin and pulled it closer to herself, and touched around his eyes.

The coolness of her hands was helping with the pain, but he still couldn't bear letting her be this close to himself. Letting her touch him, take care of him, show any sort of affection for him…

It…hurt worse than the eye pain.

So, he pulled back forcefully, causing her to exclaim in concern but he silenced her with an angry look.

"Hinata. I am fine. It's already getting better," he said angrily. "Now, please stop. You shouldn't be doing that."

"But…Nii-san—" she started, but he was already lifting up to get off the couch and walk away from her.

"Don't worry about it. Seriously. And...don't...do things like that. What will people think?"

"People will think that I am caring for my cousin, who is hurt," she said, looking at him angrily, but the concern was painted all over her face.

He turned away from her. Something about her words stung.

"Well...I'm fine," he said with finality. Right before he walked out the door, he said, "I will see you later on this afternoon."


End file.
